Karmila

he process of creating Sasirangan fabric in the South Kalimantan region of Banjarmasin demonstrates social solidarity and cultural connection to their ancestors. Sasirangan is a traditional fabric fused by Banjar ethnic group in South Kalimantan. It represents the richness of the culture, with patterns and colors made by hand-knitting and traditional coloring that represents the dynamic of the culture. Some of the patterns resemble ocean waves, flowers, and deities coming from the sky. They portray their daily lives and relationship with human and other sentient beings through the patterns. For every piece of cloth, the process of making the pattern or “menyirang” takes roughly an hour. Each person will have their own role. Karmila, will do the sewing while her colleague will then perform the coloring of the cloth after the pattern is finished. This Sasirangan cloth-making process illustrates collaborative efforts in achieving the betterment of life.